Longtime Houston Gymnastics Academy coach Kevin Mazeika will be the next U.S. men's National Team Coordinator, the Associated Press reported this morning.
Mazeika, head coach of the 2004 and 2008 U.S. men's Olympic teams, is a logical choice for the position, which was vacated by Ron Brant after this year's World Championships. U.S. teams under Mazeika's guidance have done well, earning back-to-back Olympic medals for the first time ever.
Mazeika has a long history of coaching successful athletes, including 2001 World parallel bars champ Sean Townsend, 2007 World team member Sean Golden and 2008 Olympic bronze medalist Raj Bhavsar. But he's not without controversy -- in 2007, he came under fire from some in the gymnastics community, who claimed he encouraged athletes to forgo college scholarships in favor of training with him full-time.
“I am both honored and excited to accept the national team coordinator position,” Mazeika said in a release issued by USA Gymnastics. “The men’s team has won the silver and bronze medals the last two Olympics, and our goal is to return to the podium. We have a tremendous group of talented athletes and coaches with the work ethic and determination to build on the momentum from 2004 and 2008. Most of all, we have the intangible strength that has been the bedrock of the men’s team, U.S. spirit. I am looking forward to working with everyone over the next three years on our journey to London.”
He's already got at least one fan on the U.S. team. “I don’t know if there’s a better person in the country for this job,” reigning U.S. champion Jonathan Horton told The Houston Chronicle. “I am a very big Kevin Mazeika fan when it comes to leading a team as he did in 2008. He did an incredible job, and I don’t see why he can’t do it again.”
Mazeika was one of a "short list" of candidates for the position, Brant said in an interview with Examiner.com last month.
"I am excited to see Kevin step in and help lead the USA men's team," Brant said Tuesday. "I am confident and know in my heart that the men's team can succeed in 2012. Kevin brings the leadership that will keep the program moving strong. He has been a great coach on the Olympic floor for the USA Men and he will be a great National Team Coordinator as well."
Mazeika's family owns Mazeika's Elite Gymnastics in Houston.
Follow Gymnastics Examiner Blythe Lawrence on Twitter at www.twitter.com/GymExaminer.
Comments
Kevin owns nothing. The gym belongs to his mother and sister. He just rents space there for his athletes.
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